Wizards' Bub Carrington Keeps Impressing Despite Sixth-Man Shift

Bub Carrington's escape from his particularly-hairy sophomore slump made for the Washington Wizards' top feel-good narrative amidst an otherwise-loss-filled start to the season.

The decorated rookie failed to maintain his promising pace as a perimeter scorer and playmaker to start his second campaign in Washington, losing his starting place and most of his on-ball touches as his reluctance to crash the paint sapped all of the juice from how he was defended. Opponents knew he was either taking an outside shot or passing, effective traits that fail to deliver the impact that he's proven capable of.

He finally wormed his way back into the starting-five, though, and he hasn't looked back since. Carrington posted 17 points per game on strong shooting splits before being quickly sent back to the bench when the Wizards got healthier, but his most recent showing suggested that his struggles may not have been tied to his place in the rotation as we may have thought.

He joined five Washington teammates in double-figure scoring with 15 points, the most he's pocketed across 18 games as a bench piece. And his contributions really mattered, factoring into a 138-117 win. It turns out that he just needed more of an on-ball role during his time on the court to truly consistently punish defenses.

Remaining Ready and Confident

Carrington's need for regular possessions with the rock in his hands benefits when he's able to hit his pull-up threes, and he's been ready to fire since awakening from the schneid. He isn't afraid to dance with defenders, either, as Wizards fans noted in watching him hit four three-pointers over the Toronto Raptors.